The phone had already been rolling in Kyungsoo's hand several times. The device was even warm in his hand, as if it was camouflaged in his body.

He needed to start making calls and make a decision about his new employees. He couldn't keep them waiting, especially since the restaurant was already chaotic and Sooyoung was pressuring him about the new helpers. He couldn't handle everything alone, and the restaurant was always busy during happy hour.

The list was long, and many of the numbers didn't match as expected. Three of the candidates shared the podium in the judges' evaluations, so they shouldn't be so difficult to choose, right?

Wrong.

Because there was one of them who had been Kyungsoo's chosen one ever since he received the candidates' profiles by email. And it was precisely him that the chef was nervous to call.

Byun Baekhyun hadn't made it to the top 3. His dish varied a lot in the ranking, sometimes close to the podium, sometimes in last place. But for the chef, he was first.

Yes, perhaps even more than that.

His blueberry Clafoutis was deliciously good for someone who didn't follow the classic recipe. But it was too simple and didn't attract as much attention as the other more elaborate dishes, which is why his ranking varied so much.

But there was a catch.

There hadn't been any pastry chefs at Dyo's for years, and it was time for him to invest in pastry. It would be a success if he made Baekhyun the head pastry chef of the place and sold not only meals but also good coffee or bakery sweets made by a real pastry chef, not just culinary artists. In the future, it could be a good investment and expand the restaurant chain, which was one of Kyungsoo's dreams, so he could bet on Baekhyun to open a café or something like that.

It would work out.

"Just call the cute pastry chef already." It was Chanyeol who was advising him.

They were sitting in the chef's apartment living room, with papers and profiles on the coffee table, and some bottles of craft beer from the brewery that Chanyeol owned. Kyungsoo had called him to help him make the final decision because the tall, big-eared man was good at judging. Together, they could see a future for their employees. That's why the chef trusted him so much.

"It wouldn't be ethical, Chan. His ranking is too low." Park rolled his eyes.

"You know that doesn't mean much. Most people decided their rankings based on price rather than taste. And you also know you need a pastry chef. It would be a good investment." Yes, the bald man knew.

But it didn't make the decision any easier.

"It's not that easy." Kyungsoo pointed out firmly.

"Not that easy? Dude! Have you looked at his résumé? He has specialization from abroad. French pastry! And he's trying to get a job at a restaurant that doesn't even have a pastry department. You should seize this chance and invest in the little guy!"

"Do you think I don't know that? I don't know what he's doing at Dyo's. He has spectacular potential for a luxury pastry shop and yet chooses to work here?"

"That's not what I meant, Do Kyungsoo." Chanyeol was angry, and he hated that.

Because it meant he would come up with that whole speech again about how Kyungsoo should be proud of his restaurant because it was built with hard work.

"Dyo's is the best restaurant in the area, and it's a different and comfortable space. You should be proud and critical of your employees. You worked hard to earn the respect of other chefs."

"You mean my father." The small one said bitterly.

"Yes, him too. But what I'm saying is: you should hire a good pastry chef, see if it works out, and invest more in this area."

Kyungsoo smiled at the taller man, who seemed determined to show that this was the wisest decision at the moment.

"What would I do without you, Park Chanyeol?"

"Probably still be in a fast food joint."

"Don't start." He said, in a bad mood.

"In-dus-tri-a-li-zed."

"What torture!" Chanyeol laughed at his expression. "It's not funny."

"How long has it been since you had a good burger from the American clown?"

"Long enough to know that it's not healthy."

"Everyone knows it's not. But that's the fun, Kyungja."

"I've told you not to call me that!" The smaller one crossed his arms, annoyed.

"It's just because I love you too much." Park was already gathering his things to leave, getting up from the floor where they were sitting.

"And where are you going?"

"To sleep. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's already past 11 PM." The bald man looked at the clock, sighing. He still needed to call the candidates; otherwise, he would be in trouble with Sooyoung tomorrow.

"Yes, call him."

"W-what?"

"I've known you forever, Soo. I know what you're thinking. And it's never too late to receive good news." Park smiled his biggest toothy smile.

There was a time when Kyungsoo found his smile extremely cute and comforting. But nowadays, it just seemed like a childish smile permanently stuck on an adult man's face. It was quite a funny contrast.

"You're right."

"And when am I not?" Park put on his sunglasses and headed for the door. From a distance, he might look like a model, but the chef knew it was a facade. His clumsy gait gave him away.

"I'll be waiting for the next chapters. Make sure to call me afterward. See you!"

"See you, idiot." Park smiled as he headed for the elevator.

Kyungsoo closed the door and picked up the phone from the table. He opened the contacts and started dialing a number that was written on the candidate's résumé. He waited as he heard only long noises repeating on the line.

                                         🍴

Baekhyun wanted to kill whoever thought it was a good idea to call him in the middle of his movie.

Actually, a musical.

His favorite: La La Land.

It was almost time for Mia's Monologue performance when his phone started ringing in the small apartment he shared with his friend, Oh Sehun, who was probably having wild with his fiancée Irene at the moment.

Byun swore he wasn't jealous or envious, but sometimes he felt a little left out; since his only friend had to divide his attention between him and his girlfriend.

And Baekhyun liked attention.

Sighing, realizing that whoever it was wouldn't give up easily, he stuck the spoon into the ice cream on his lap and walked over to pick up the phone that hung on the wall between the kitchen and the living room.

The display showed an unknown number. Strange. It wasn't common for calls to come in there. Sehun, being the tech-savvy person he was, solved any problems through emails or KakaoTalk messages. So it might have been a wrong number.

The small one sighed, answering with a tired and dragged-out voice.

"Hello?"

"Byun Baekhyun?"

"Who's calling?" He was starting to get annoyed; it was late, and he wanted to finish his movie and sleep. He didn't have time for small talk at this hour.

"Do Kyungsoo, from Dyo's restaurant." Byun's eyes widened, and he gasped, choking on his own saliva.

He started coughing like crazy into the phone and pulled it away from his face, trying to compose himself. He couldn't believe it. He had been incredibly rude to his possible future boss (Okay, he was optimistic despite everything).

This would probably get him dismissed!

He prayed to every entity in the world that it wouldn't happen.

"Mr. Byun?" The redhead listened but couldn't respond.

Should he apologize? Should he say something to justify his behavior? Damn it! But what was he thinking, calling him at this late hour? It wasn't something normal people do, right?

"Mr. Byun, are you okay?"

"Aah... I-I... yes."

"You seemed short of breath. Do you need help? Is there someone with you?"

"W-what?"

"Is there someone who can help you?" He sounded concerned on the other end of the line, as if Byun could actually choke to death at any moment.

"N-no, I don't need it. I'm fine. Thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I-I... choked, that's all."

"Okay." Kyungsoo sighed softly.

There was a brief silence on the line, which made Baekhyun wonder again. What should he say? He had no idea how to have a conversation with the chef. In fact, he realized, it was the other person who had called him, so it was his duty to continue the conversation. He waited a little longer until he decided to speak up.

"Do you, uh, want something?"

"Well, I called to let you know that you got the position. Congratulations!"

What? He got the position? Just like that?

Oh my god.

Was this real? Wasn't it some kind of prank?

He wanted to scream to the world and almost did, but then he remembered he was still on the phone with his new chef. His beloved new boss who had entrusted him with a position at the restaurant.

The redhead tried to recover, taking a deep breath to control his voice. He needed strength, or he would come across as an unprofessional before even starting the job.

"I appreciate the opportunity, sir. Very much. I assure you won't be disappointed."

"I hope not, Byun."

"You can be sure, sir."

"I... uh." The chef cleared his throat. "Actually, I have something to ask of you too."

Well, this was turning out to be quite a night. What could Do Kyungsoo possibly ask of him?

"Of course, sir..."

"I know you probably need some time to prepare paperwork or something. But we're really tight at the restaurant. So I would appreciate it if you could come tomorrow, let's say, at 2 p.m.?" Kyungsoo didn't even leave time for the pastry chef to consider the case.

Definitely not a request. He expected Baekhyun to start fulfilling orders right away. Well, it seemed like he would have to get used to it.

"No problem, sir."

"Alright. So... see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay... well... good night, Baekhyun."

"G-good night." He thought he heard a small laugh before the line disconnected, but he swore it was just his imagination.

Also... did Kyungsoo use his name to say goodbye?

That was so strange.

And, oh, why did his boss's voice sound so damn wonderful on the other end of the line? Hearing him say his name like that wouldn't be good for his sanity.

Baekhyun began to think that his days at Dyo's could start to feel very long.

                                          🍴

The young pastry chef was already at the restaurant's door when it was still 1:45 p.m., fifteen minutes before the agreed time. He wasn't trying to impress the chef. Well, at least it wasn't his initial intention, as he was completely anxious and nervous about his first day of work.

He couldn't make any mistakes; it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

He took a deep breath before entering the restaurant, as if he were just a customer. And he wasn't surprised when he saw that Dyo's was still the same as always: cozy, elegant, and modern, all at the same time. The lights streamed in through the window, making the atmosphere pleasant and fresh, regardless of the time you visited.

He waited at the counter, not sure what to ask. Then he saw Sooyoung behind the cash register, taking payment from some customers. He decided to ask about the chef and let her know that he had already arrived when he heard someone calling him.

"Sir! Can I help you? Would you like to order something?" Baekhyun turned to the guy with a youthful face.

His eyes were slanted, with eyeliner accentuating them (reminding him of Mochi, his deceased cat). His hair was very black, cut short, and the uniform shirt rolled up to the elbows, highlighting his biceps a bit. He was quite handsome, he couldn't deny.

He started to think that people didn't come to the restaurant just for the food.

"Actually, I'm looking for the chef: Do Kyungsoo."

"Ooh... Chef Kyungsoo hasn't arrived yet. He only comes later. On Wednesdays, he always goes shopping for supplies, especially fresh ones."

"He personally restocks the ingredients?"

"Oh yes, he does. He doesn't trust anyone else to choose the perfect food. He's very dedicated."

Or he could be just crazy, Baekhyun thought.

What was the problem with asking someone else to do the grocery shopping? It seemed like he wanted to take care of everything by himself.

He didn't think it would work if they didn't work as a team. A kitchen needed harmony to succeed. He hoped the chef wouldn't reject help out of pride; it would be a disaster.

"Uh... alright." That's all he could respond.

"But if you want, I can show you around the kitchen, you know. We really need more help there. Ever since the restaurant expanded, things... have gotten tight." He didn't doubt that the chef must have put more pressure on his employees; the young waiter seemed exhausted.

Baekhyun started to worry about how they dealt with work here; it didn't seem easy at all.

"Okay. I'd love to."

"Then follow me, it's..."

"Baekhyun." The other guy smiled at him, extending his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Baekhyun. I'm Minseok, the bartender."

"Pleasure to meet you too, Minseok."

"Come on, let's go to the kitchen. I bet there are tasks for you."

And there were.

He barely stepped into the kitchen when a girl with an angelic face, whom he later found out was named Taeyeon, directed him to prepare one of the orders.

Surprisingly, it was something he could handle: a strawberry parfait.

Baekhyun got excited.

It was his first day, and he was already cooking and making his specialty as a pastry chef. What more could he ask for?

Smiling, he went to the pantry to get the ingredients: fresh strawberries, nuts, cream, and everything he needed. He thought about adding some alternative layers to make it interesting. Yes, that would be nice.

Returning to the kitchen, he had barely passed through the door when he got a shock: the short bald man was standing there, arms crossed, staring at him and blocking his way.

"G-Good afternoon, Chef."

"Good afternoon, Byun," he said, not very inviting. Kyungsoo assessed Baekhyun from head to toe before returning his gaze to the redhead.

"What are you doing in the pantry?"

"Miss Kim asked me to help her with some orders, so I grabbed some ingredients to make a strawberry parfait."

"You don't need to help her. It's her job to handle the orders."

"But she's really busy, and I don't mind helping."

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, tightening his crossed arms. He took a step forward, getting closer to the pastry chef. Despite being smaller than him, the bald chef seemed quite intimidating from this proximity.

"Did I ask you to help her?" he said in a low but icy voice.

What? Was he really doing this? Baekhyun thought he had been hired because they couldn't handle all the customers. What sense would it make if he just stood there, looking?

"N-No, sir."

"Then why do you think you can do something I didn't ask you to do?"

"I... I..." He didn't have an answer to that. He had only done what he thought was right because he was being reprimanded?

"I want you to start with the dishes, Mr. Byun. Then monitor the trash so it doesn't get too full. Use rubber gloves to avoid burning yourself with hot water."

"W-What?" Dishes? That was definitely not what Baekhyun was expecting.

It wasn't his first job in a restaurant, so why was the chef treating him like an amateur?

"Don't you understand what I said?"

"I perfectly understood, sir. I just don't understand why I have to perform this kind of task." Kyungsoo smiled slightly in an unwelcoming way.

The redhead didn't need to look at him more than once to see that he was extremely annoyed. Well, he was too! Didn't he even read his resume? He had worked in more than five different restaurants since he graduated. He wouldn't go back to being an amateur, not at all.

"Are you the chef here, Mr. Byun?" he said in a calm tone, not fooled by the pastry chef. He knew the chef was tremendously irritated.

But Baekhyun was too.

And he was trying very, very hard not to make a face at the apprentice of Satan.

"No, sir."

"Then why do you think you can act as if this were your restaurant?" The redhead fell silent.

He swallowed the anger he was feeling, but his hands betrayed him. They were trembling as if they could slaughter a bull with their bare hands.

And they really could.

"Go and take care of the dishes as I asked. If I see you in my kitchen again, you'll be fired. I hope you don't think I'm joking when I give orders."

Oh no, he definitely didn't think that. What Baekhyun thought couldn't even be spoken out loud.

He thought the Korean Ramsay should go somewhere where there were no stars to be counted.

                                     🍴

It was almost 6 p.m., and Byun still hadn't set foot in the kitchen. He was certain he had washed more dishes than a hundred employees of Queen Elizabeth. He didn't understand why he had to do this, and he was tremendously irritated. He didn't think Do Kyungsoo would be the type of chef to mark his territory; he hated that kind of culinary artist.

Kitchens were meant for teamwork, as a team. But the Dyo's kitchen felt more like hell itself. People killed themselves to deliver difficult and elaborate dishes in a short time. The little Satan didn't do much besides adjusting seasonings and meat cuts, replacing one ingredient or another. Apart from that, he just watched people work and served a customer or two.

It was truly infuriating.

And incredibly, everyone seemed to have absolute respect for the Korean Ramsay. No one complained about his orders, accepting them with their heads down as if it were a religion to be followed. This only made Byun suspect that either the chef was really good, to the point of running the restaurant with such absolute mastery that everything ended up perfect, or he was the reincarnation of Lucifer, and the end was near.

Baekhyun believed more in the second option.

The pastry chef now found himself in the back of the restaurant, taking out the trash to dispose of it in a dumpster located in a small alley, attached to the wall. It smelled awful, and it was making Baekhyun nauseous, which could be dangerous combined with his nervousness. If he had to go through this every day, his life would be a living hell.

Perhaps he had been naive to think he wouldn't be screwed over like this. It was the best restaurant in the area; it was obvious that the chef would be tough.

Sighing, he sat on the doorstep, trying to breathe in some fresh air, even if all he could smell was the garbage and other strange substances.

Byun thought about calling Sehun, but he knew he would only bother his friend. His hyung wasn't very good with advice, and he was a bit stuck in his small, brilliant mind. Besides, he would probably still be working on that infernal game that young people loved, Legend of War or something.

He sighed.

He was alone in this.

He would have to endure it somehow. If he wanted to earn the money he aspired to open his own pastry shop, he needed recognition (and money, of course). So he'd better endure everything at once, even if he had to go through the Dyo's hell.

The door suddenly opened, revealing the short guy with cat-like eyes again. He had a few bottles in his hand, which were soon disposed of in the trash. He looked at Byun with an empathetic expression, sitting down beside him.

"Do you smoke?" he asked, offering him a cigarette.

"No, thank you." Minseok shook his head, lighting the cigarette and taking a deep drag.

"You know, it was difficult for me too. At the beginning."

"Are you sure it was only in the beginning? You seem exhausted too." The bartender smiled, turning his gaze towards Baekhyun.

The redhead noticed that he was quite handsome, even more so up close. His hair was black, which perfectly matched his skin tone. He had a few piercings in his ear and wore dark eyeliner, making him look more seductive. But Baekhyun paid more attention to his smile, which was a complete contrast to his sensual appearance. In a way, he had a somewhat childish and y smile at the same time. It was quite confusing.

"Let's say I... went overboard last night." He chuckled deeply, as if he held a secret. A typical raspy smoker's laugh.

"But today is still Wednesday."

"Well, the night is young. And I'm the hottest babysitter in town." This time, Baekhyun laughed.

He was quite audacious.

"Alright."

"Don't worry, Byun. This is just a phase, like the final Bowser in Super Mario. After you defeat him, Peach will appear, and then you can have the prize cake. Probably made of mushrooms." The redhead laughed again.

"You sound like my roommate. He's a fan of the Italian plumbers."

"Oh, and who isn't? They're my favorite plumbers." Both of them laughed now, as if they weren't about to face the gallows in a few minutes.

There was still some time before work ended.

"Thank you, Minseok."

"For what?" The other exhaled all the smoke he had been holding in his lungs, causing it to spread through the air and making Baekhyun cough.

"Definitely not for that," he said, still coughing.

The other smiled, taking another drag and getting closer to Baekhyun's face. He blew the smoke near his ear. It smelled like mint.

Baekhyun didn't want to let it affect him, but it did.

Minseok was an extremely handsome guy, he couldn't deny that. But he was also teasing. A terrible combination for his heart.

Baekhyun started coughing again, even though he hadn't inhaled much of the smoke.

"Stop that. Do you want to kill me?"

And there he was, laughing again.

"You're quite cute, Baek." He stood up, flicking the cigarette to the ground to put it out. "We have to go back inside before the little Satan comes looking for you." He extended his hand for the pastry chef to get up, and it was accepted willingly. Both of them standing now, they were looking at each other.

"If you ever want to vent or something, you can talk to me. I can be your friend here, if you want." This time he was serious, and Baekhyun internally thanked him for that.

Of course, he would need a friend there. It wouldn't be easy. And if Minseok was offering himself for that, he thought it couldn't be too bad, right?

Baekhyun couldn't be more wrong.

                                        🍴

Kyungsoo didn't want to be too harsh with the rookie, but he wanted everyone to understand the importance of work and the effort put in by the employees.

If you want to run a restaurant, you should know how all the departments work. And that's what Kyungsoo wanted for Byun Baekhyun.

He would be his biggest investment, so he needed to train him for that.

The chef was just finishing up one of the last orders of the day when Minseok appeared with the little redhead by his side, probably coming from the alley.

Kyungsoo furrowed his brow, placing the dishcloth he was holding on the counter with more force than he had intended.

"What's this? Taking a break, are you?"

"No, chef. We were taking out the trash." It was Minseok who answered, as the other had not entered the kitchen, going straight to the dishwashing area.

"For 13 minutes?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was a lot of trash." Minseok smirked, playing around as he always did, but this time Kyungsoo wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"I don't want to hear about it anymore, Mr. Kim. If you think this restaurant is a party, then leave."

"Mr. Kim? Oh my God, Kyungsoo! What happened to you today, man?" The chef took a deep breath.

He was stressed. He had been stressed for a while now.

"Just... go to the bar, Minseok. They need you there." The bartender approached, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder, squeezing it.

"Look. You know you can share the burden, right? We're a team, after all."

Kyungsoo looked at the employee and realized that Minseok was speaking seriously. He gave a small smile.

"I'm sorry. I'm being an idiot, as always."

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to him. The kid just started, and he's all worked up. You won't get good results like this, you know." Kim shrugged before heading to the bar at the entrance of the restaurant.

Kyungsoo knew that the employee was absolutely right.

But could he apologize to the pastry chef? He had to be firm, he couldn't show any weakness. If he showed compassion, perhaps he would start questioning his orders. And the chef wouldn't tolerate that.

That's when he realized that he might have to find a way to deal with Byun Baekhyun.